Alice
Just breathe, Alice.
The nerves mounted with every door they passed, every corridor they wheeled her down and every turn they took.
Could they not just give her the anaesthetic now? Knock her out unconscious and bring her round when the whole ordeal was over?
No. Apparently they needed her awake and willing until the very last second.
Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait long until she was moved from the waiting area into the theatre.
It was odd how badly she longed for Nurse Angles to be greeting her instead of these strangers. How comforting her life on the ward seemed now she’d been torn away from it.
‘OK, Alice. We’re going to be administering the anaesthetic soon. Any other questions before we begin?’
Alice shook her head. If she spoke, she was sure she would vomit.
‘I want you to take some deep breaths for me. You’re goingto feel a small sharp prick and then a slightly cold sensation. It’s all normal – it’s just the anaesthetic kicking in. OK?’
Alice smiled this time. Nodding made her feel even more nauseous.
‘Wonderful. I’m going to count down from ten. You’ll start to feel really sleepy soon – don’t try and resist it, just go with it, OK?’
All at once everything started to fade. The sounds, the shapes: they all began to blur into one.
Her eyes were heavy.
She could barely keep them open.
Within seconds Alice found herself lost to the darkness.
Within an hour, she’d flatlined on the operating table.
58
Alfie
Alfie knew everyone was doing their best to get information for him, but he couldn’t help feeling they weren’t trying hard enough. The not knowing was driving him crazy.
Couldn’t they just go to the operating theatre and ask?
At one point he’d all but convinced himself to go and find her himself. Luckily his reason kicked in and told him how stupid the idea was, and how it would probably reduce his chances of ever finding out about Alice if he was caught. And so he resigned himself to waiting.
He waited until the afternoon shift clocked off and the night shift clocked on.
He waited until the stars winked at him from the sky.
He waited until it seemed that everyone on the ward was asleep but him.
So many times his eyes would start to close and he would have to force himself to stay awake. Every time he caught the sound of footsteps he would sit upright, praying they were coming towards him. Eventually they would change directionor fade into the distance, and his heart would drop once again with the weight of not knowing.
This time, the footsteps came straight towards him.
He didn’t dare make a sound; he didn’t want to scare them off.
‘Alfie, are you still awake?’
Why is Nurse Angles here? Didn’t she finish hours ago?
